Preview: Ebbsfleet vs. Fleetwood Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Ebbsfleet beat Halifax Town in the previous round to reach this stage, while Fleetwood dispatched Oxford City.

Match preview

Having narrowly missed out on promotion to the National League after losing to Dorking Wanderers in the play-off semi-finals last season, Ebbsfleet are hoping to go one better this time around.

The Fleet - who were previously owned by MyFootballClub between 2008 and 2013, where members voted on player transfers, budgets, ticket prices etc - have been stranded in the sixth tier of English football since their relegation three seasons ago, but lead the National League South table on goal difference after 17 matches.

In the meantime, though, Dennis Kutrieb will be aiming to make history by becoming only the third manager in Ebbsfleet's history to reach the third round or beyond of the FA Cup, having last done so when losing to Aston Villa in the 1995-96 season.

While promotion will be Kutrieb's main priority this season, inflicting a surprise defeat on a team competing three divisions above them in the English footballing pyramid could only benefit his players' morale as well as the club's coffers.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, will be aiming to reach the third round of the FA Cup for the fifth time in seven seasons by overcoming Ebbsfleet on Sunday.

Despite being a Football League team for over a decade now, though, the Fishermen have never progressed beyond that stage, so Scott Brown will be hoping to achieve that as manager this season.

The former Scotland and Celtic midfielder has guided Fleetwood to sitting eight points clear of safety in League One after 19 matches having been appointed during the summer, which is a decent achievement considering that they only survived via goal difference last season.

While ensuring his side's gap to the relegation zone remains at a healthy distance will be Brown's main focus in the coming weeks, he will be keen for his players to avoid being on the wrong side of what would represent a potentially damaging defeat at Stonebridge Road.

Ebbsfleet FA Cup form:

W

Ebbsfleet form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

W

L

Fleetwood Town FA Cup form:

W

Fleetwood Town form (all competitions):

D

W

D

W

D

L

Team News

Having had a week since their last fixture, Kutrieb could ask the same players who were defeated by Eastbourne Borough last time out to prove the loss was merely a blip.

However, Dominic Poleon may earn a recall to the starting XI having bagged 12 goals in 18 appearances so far this season.

Fleetwood, meanwhile, are expected to travel without Michael Devlin and Darnell Johnson due to injury.

Brown could shake things up from his side's defeat to Bolton Wanderers last weekend, with the likes of Joe Garner and Paddy Lane hoping for starts.

Ebbsfleet possible starting lineup:

Cousins; Jombati, Hollis, Martin, Domi; Chapman, N'Guessan, Monlouis, Edser; McQueen, Poleon

Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:

Lynch; Nsiala, Holgate, Earl; Rooney, Batty, Warrington, Andrew; Vela; Garner, Morton

We say: Ebbsfleet 1-1 Fleetwood Town

Given Ebbsleet's impressive league form so far this season, we can envisage them giving Fleetwood a real run for their money on Sunday.

As such, despite there being three divisions between these sides, we think the visitors may have to bring their opponents back to Highbury Stadium for a replay.

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